There is a difference in the trunnions, the PKT doesn't have the cylinder shaped things on the side for the tripod, and it's heavier like they didn't finish machining it.
Here's a pic that Panaceabeachbum posted on WG, PKM on top.

Ah OK I guessed that they would have ground off those tripod lugs. And you are correct, it looks like they simply didn't machine the "lightening cut" on the bottom since weight is not a concern on a vehicle. That, and it provides additional heat sink capability with the extra metal.

I will hazard a guess that the barrels will interchange. The locking tab (the sliding piece) appears to be the same on both.

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the barrels interchange.
I was thinking of building one of these just a little while ago, and was reading as much as I could, but since the barrels are all drilled I don't think I want to mess with that.

"Government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem" Ronald Reagan

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the barrels interchange.
I was thinking of building one of these just a little while ago, and was reading as much as I could, but since the barrels are all drilled I don't think I want to mess with that.

That's my problem too Coils. I'd like a pkm & MORE...but these drilled barrels just turn me away. I know they can be rebuilt, but I just did a quick count of 40+ various parts sets with INTACT barrels in my pile. So maybe I should build those first & see if by then we have a non commmunist president & the parts are flowing again?????

" Save a tree...........Eat A Beaver!"

I seldom talk to liberals.............................. But when I do, I order fries............

Ah but don't be so quick to throw out the idea. Remember the PSL/PK barrels can allegedly be built from .303 barrels. You'll have to dig up that thread I started back in 2005 with the "barrel ban". Think BREN barrels now.

Better still - find whomever is making these AK barrels and you should be able to find barrel blanks. A PK barrel isn't far from a barrel blank compared to an AK so there will be less cutting

That being said, I have seen where some people are restoring the drilled DSHK barrels. The same concept SHOULD be doable for the smaller caliber PK barrels but I have no idea what all they are doing to them. I suspect they are tapping the holes and installing a screw/bolt section to the edge of the internal bore, then cutting a concave to match the internals of the barrel and leave no open spaces. I did the same thing when I plugged an AK barrel to convert it from a 45-degree gas block to a 90-degree gas block. Doable but tedious. Considering the price of a new barrel, if it works - safely - then why not try.

The BREN barrel could be made to work, the only down side is it's a good bit shorter, 23" and it will be shorten a little to rechamber it, so if that's not an issue with a person that would be a good route. But I like that long look of these guns
Barrel blanks is the other option, but then there's the length issue again and the diameter, no one makes a blank in that 30" +/- range and most are a good bit smaller in diameter. Most of these medium & heavy machineguns used 30"+ barrels with heavy walls and most blanks are right around 20" or so.
I wish someone would offer longer blanks, I'd save up my pennies and get some of these kits them.

Just went and looked at some specs of the PK series, so everything you just read might have been for nothing. The PKT had the longest barrel at just over 30" and the PK & PKM used a 25"-26" barrel, so it wouldn't be that much shorter if you went with something in the 20" range.

Most of the DSHK barrels I've seen only had two holes in them, one at the chamber and somewhere near the muzzle end. The one at the muzzle was being repaired like you mentioned with a plug threaded & welded in place and I don't see a problem with that since the pressures out that far have dropped a great deal. On the chamber hole the original chamber was being bored out and a .50 BMG chamber was machined to fit, some made their own sleeve, and that's very do-able with a barrel that heavy.
I don't know how well it would hold up in a thinner walled chamber, though the PK series should be ok, and I don't like the idea of just putting a plug in the chamber hole and welding it in place, too much pressure in that area to mess with by just doing a patch job type repair.

"Government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem" Ronald Reagan

All very helpful information guys. Any possibility of relineing a barrel with a moisin nagant inner sleeve? I know somebody mentioned that for the SG43's... Also a kit I have... how meaty is the PKT's barrel? enough to be relined and patched?? hell, I'd run a 20 inch. And if I could get machine work. Cut it down a little to save weight.